


Solo: A Star Wars One Shot

by Cellardoor26



Series: The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth [2]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Friendship, So much angst, let's give Rey some happiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:33:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26510692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cellardoor26/pseuds/Cellardoor26
Summary: And so, four months and thirteen days after Ben left - of course she was still counting - Rey sat at a table at Maz’s Bar and Grill. Luke was beside her, a hat and sunglasses trying to obscure his well known identity Snoke’s downfall had revived, while the proprietor sat across from her.___Rey tries to stay busy as she awaits Ben's imminent return and meets an unlikely group of friends.__Not-so-brief one-shot takes place between Parts 1 and 2 of this series.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, implied Poe/Finn - Relationship
Series: The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1864831
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Solo: A Star Wars One Shot

In the four and a half months since Ben’s departure, his sojourn to the island of Ach-To, to make penance and learn how to quiet his mind, to leave the heat of the First Order’s toppling Rey had become very good at a number of things. 

She learned how to sleep on a bed, appreciating how far she could stretch her limbs if she wished, no longer longing for the gentle sway of her hammock. 

She grew used to living with Luke, enjoying the domesticity, the ample food, the safety of his home while learning to handle paternal concern that swayed to outright anxiety when she forgot herself and acted as would have with Unkar.

And perhaps the most important, Rey learned the importance of staying busy. 

Rey had graduated last week, and it only took two days for her to want to tear her hair out. Rey had never been given the luxury of free time, the opulence of situating a day however she’d like it. And now, when she could finally enjoy it, her thoughts ensured any free time was free of rest.

And so, on the fourth month and twelfth day of Ben’s departure Rey plopped on the chair across from Luke, the early twilight shining through the shades. Luke didn’t like the mornings, so Rey jumped straight to the chase. 

“I want a job.” Luke tilted a corner of his newspaper to peer at Rey. It only took a brief look to produce a sigh. 

“I could always use more help at the Studio.” Rey’s heart thudded uncomfortably in her chest. She rubbed it absentmindedly. The motion wasn’t lost on Luke. 

“Somewhere new.” She amended. Sometimes Luke looked at her too kindly. Rey took the toast from Luke’s plate, taking a large bite so his expression would change. 

“I suppose I could call Maz, she owes me a favor.” Rey chewed thoughtfully. It was a bit out of the way with the bus system, but Rey had nothing but time. 

“I’ve never worked food service before.” 

“If you don’t like it you could always quit.” Rey laughed out loud, hand in front of her mouth - that lesson finally learned. 

“Aren’t parental figures supposed to instill a work ethic in the young?” Rey teased.

“You could do well with a more carefree attitude.” Luke huffed out, snatching his toast back. Rey smiled.

“Thanks Luke.” Luke shook out the newspaper, focused on it once more. 

“I’ll let you know what she says.” 

And so, four months and thirteen days after Ben left - of course she was still counting - Rey sat at a table at Maz’s Bar and Grill. Luke was beside her, a hat and sunglasses trying to obscure his well known identity Snoke’s downfall had revived, while the proprietor sat across from her. 

It was just a trick of her glasses, but Maz’s eyes felt luminous, like they were peering into her very soul. 

“Don’t you think the girl has worked enough?” Maz finally said, she was still leaning forward, eyes searching. 

“Maz-” Luke began. Rey interrupted him. 

“I want to work.” Burst out of Rey. How could she explain how the hours crept by without sounding pathetic? That summer semester wouldn’t begin for another eight weeks and she was terrified she’d spend the rest of it alone with her thoughts? That she had a clawing fear Ben wouldn’t return in six weeks and four days and she really would lose it?

“Hmm.. Tired of waiting?” Well that explained it neatly. 

“Yes.” 

“The belonging you seek..” Maz began. Rey wanted none of that. 

“Do I have the job, or not?” Rey asked roughly. Maz leaned back. The assessing look was still there, but when she spoke, the mystical tone was gone from her voice. 

“You’ll have a two week trial period. I want you to shadow Finn. If things go well we’ll get you a permanent name tag.” Rey breathed out a sigh of relief. 

“Thank you.” Rey said, knowing she should feel chagrined for her earlier behavior but not quite able to manage it. “I really appreciate it.”

“Luke, next time you stop by make sure to bring my boyfriend.” 

“Whatever you say Maz.”

Finn talked a lot. 

“- there isn’t a staff room, so we usually put our stuff behind the counter. The space’s bigger than it looks. And Maz always gives us a meal on our shift, the food here’s pretty good. Most of the customers are pretty all right, although sometimes fights break out. But you’ll be fine, just stick to me if things get tense.” Rey smiled, amused at the thought she needed protection during a fight. It was the most she’d given the conversation since it began, and Finn smiled in response. Unconsciously Rey’s smile grew; he had a smile that made his whole face light up. 

“Hey, I’ve been here for more than a year and I’ve never seen you before, are you new? From around here? Just starting college? Was that your dad who dropped you off?” Finn had spoken for so long without needing her input Rey was struck dumb, unsure how she was supposed to respond. 

“I don’t have parents.” Rey responded, turning away. 

Blunt then. 

“Me either.” Rey’s head snapped back to Finn’s. “I live with my grandmother. My mom and dad - well some people shouldn’t have kids.” Rey couldn’t look away, stunned to find someone so similar to her. And he seemed so untouched by it! It gave Rey hope. 

“My parents left me in a junkyard.” Rey admitted. It felt elicit to speak the words, “I grew up in Jakku.” Fine’s eyes went wide, but held kindness. They didn’t look at her with pity. 

“Wow - lucky you got out!” Rey nodded. It was lucky. But she also missed it. In some strange way it felt safer back then, she understood her place in the world. And she’d had Ben. 

“Yeah. I’m starting my first year at CU this summer. Needed something to do until then.” Rey fiddled the strap on her backpack, feeling strangely embarrassed to have offered up that piece of information. 

“Cool! I go there too. And my friends. They usually come by when I’m working since Maz is so lax with the drinking age - not that - they’re a really good group. They’d love to meet you.” Rey smiled again, but it was strained. She wasn’t any good at making friends. “Awesome. Let’s get you situated and I’ll show you how to work the bar. It’s easier than you think.”

Their first meeting didn’t go well. 

Rey had been working at Maz’s for more than a week, and the work was fun. Rey learned how to make elaborate drinks, she took complicated orders from tables and was praised for remembering them, she was allowed to keep all the tips given to her, and even though some customers were rude, they were so much more pleasant than Unkar’s scavengers Rey easily ignored it. 

“Rey you are killing them with kindness!” 

Of course there was also Finn. He seemed determined to become friends and Rey was helpless to stop it. Not that she tried very hard; Finn was a pleasant distraction from her thoughts, harmless and comforting. So when Finn told her his friends were coming by and she should stay past her shift to meet them, Rey hadn’t refused. 

Rey regretted that. 

They just... all knew each other. They had inside jokes, they huddled close to hear each other’s thoughts, they used lingo Rey had never heard before, it was overwhelming and overwhelmed Rey. She stood next to Finn, giving increasingly short answers to any questions that came her way, no matter how genuinely they were asked. 

Rey felt like she was watching herself. She knew these people were kind, that they wanted to get to know her, she wanted to scream at herself to just try - to ask them questions or respond more eloquently, but she was helpless to stop herself. 

She found herself missing Ben with the ferocity of the early days, knowing that he could say the right thing to get her back on track, to make some droll statement that would snap her out of her thoughts. But he wasn’t here, and who knew if he was really coming back when he hadn’t even sent her one letter. 

Rey tried to track the conversation, desperate to distract her thoughts. 

“Finn man, you can’t go borrow money from the Hutt’s.” 

“Poe, ex-nay on the Utt-hay.” Finn whisper-hissed, eyeing Rey. 

“What are you doing dealing with the Hutts?” Rey asked, surprising the group with her full sentence. Finn sighed heavily. 

“It’s not a big deal. My nan had hip surgery last year, and the hospital’s making a to-do about getting their money. I have a scholarship that’ll cover it but it doesn’t get released until August, so I took out a loan until then.” 

“Finn’s being stupid.” Poe also explained. Rey had to agree. 

“Guys it’s fine! I did it through a friend of a friend, he said it would be cool.” Poe groaned, but Finn would not be cowed. “Can we change the subject please?” 

Rey waited five minutes and then left, claiming a need to catch the bus. She missed the daggers Finn shot at Poe. 

It had been five months and two days since Rey had last seen Ben, and she was in a good mood. She’d finally broken down and asked Luke if he still thought Ben would be returning home to them at the end of his training, and Luke had given an emphatic yes. Luke’s eyes had also been too kind again, and he’d opened his mouth - probably to make another excuse for why Ben hadn’t reached out - but Rey just nodded and left the room. They could deal with it when he got back. 

Finn was still his friendly self, though he seemed a bit jumpy lately, and Rey found she could handle Finn’s friends better one on one; Rose was the easiest to talk to. But even then there were awkward pauses; Rey had so many thoughts in her head it took a lot of work to keep them to herself. 

Poe was the hardest.

He seemed to delight in making her nervous, constantly flirting with anything that moved (herself included), asking her probing questions and regaling everyone with expertly spun tales. He was just too good at making friends; too charismatic for Rey to trust that he was authentic. 

It was because of this behavior that Rey took her break when she saw Poe leaning against the bar, trying to get Finn’s attention. She went into the woman’s bathroom, engaging in her most masochistic behavior; opening her phone and looking at old photos and conversations she’d had with Ben. 

She didn’t allow herself to do it at home - at Luke’s - anymore, but reasoned that she’d earned it for the behavior she would put up with from Poe. 

It was junkie talk; but it was also the only way Rey stayed sane. 

When Rey came out her break was nearly over and she didn’t see Poe or Finn at the counter, Jysyal behind the bar. A strange feeling came over her, like they were in danger.

“Maz.” Rey called out, coming to the table that was nearly always inhabited by the woman, “Have you seen Finn? He’s not at the counter.” 

“You could try the alleyway.” Maz answered, after a measured pause. 

“Thanks.” Rey responded, and then almost defensively she explained,“I’m just worried.”

“Best hurry then.” Maz stated. Still, Rey stopped behind the counter, grabbing her portable staff from her bag, for the first time cursing that she didn’t carry her lightsaber with her anymore. 

When Rey pushed open the door that led out to the alleyway she was nearly blinded, the dark interior fighting against the bright afternoon sun. Thankfully Rey had experience with this, and her eyes were trained downwards while they adjusted. 

Immediately her eyes fell on Poe’s form. He was lying on the ground, limbs splayed, eyes closed. Finn stood in front of him, arms up, hands curled into firsts. Rey looked around, her eyes adjusted, and saw five men, obviously Hutt. They didn’t have weapons out, but that didn’t mean they weren’t carrying them. Rey didn’t see their leader, but they had to be somewhere. 

“Oh Finn.” Rey sighed. She flexed her fingers, wishing she held her lightsaber instead. Five against two when she also needed to protect Finn and Poe were not great odds, and this staff was a toy compared to the one she’d lost in Snoke’s throne room. 

“Rey?! Get out of here!” Finn sounded terrified, but his stance didn’t break. 

Poe moaned at his feet. 

Right, enough woolgathering. 

Rey pressed the button on her staff, already running as it extended. The man closest to her was huge - not as tall as Ben but twice as thick - but he hadn’t expected the end of a staff to chop at his windpipe. His hands instinctively went to his throat, stumbling back, and Rey used his instability to whip her staff around, swiping at his knees as she set up for the man to her left. 

She noted the gratifying crunch and unhurried scream that meant his knee was shot as her staff smacked the hand of a new opponent, trying to sneak up on her. 

Ben would have made a joke about doing penance, but he wasn’t here, so Rey just grit her teeth, using her staff to leverage a jump, kicking the man nearest in the teeth. His head snapped back - Thank the Maker for steel toed boots - and Rey attempted to land on his chest as he fell. 

But the man regained his footing, and Rey tumbled to the ground.

“Is that Rey?” Poe’s voice called out, sounding woozy. 

Rey ignored Poe, landing in a crouch. She used her staff to swipe out in a circle around herself, creating space as she popped back up. She noted with annoyance that three of the men were trying to box her in, that Finn was fighting one of them, but the first person she attacked was still down, moaning profanities. 

Where was their leader? 

Rey attacked the three men surrounding her, more intent on causing damage than escaping. Their moves were sluggish while her body practically sang as it moved, and she’d missed this - the grace of a good fight - and then two of the men had knives, the other a blaster. The one on her right nearly cut off her arm, and Rey told herself to snap out of it. 

The upside of fighting someone with a knife was that twenty seconds later Rey had it - using the same maneuver Luke had taught her years ago. She quickly threw the knife back at the man, lodging it in his liver (deadly if they didn’t seek immediate medical attention), and used her staff to push the man onto his friend with the blaster, leaving herself an opening to get some much needed distance as one man struggled to overcome the overwhelming agony, his friend to move him out from under him, and for the third man to decide whether to attack Rey or run. 

He ran at Rey (proving their leader was nearby and probably witnessing all this). Rey stepped to the side, nearly laughing when the man overexerted himself to turn around and face her, gripping his knife too tightly - clearly worried Rey would take it from him. 

Rey waited until he was in range, then feinted for his hand. He twisted from her comically, neatly falling into the swing of her staff, knocking the man off balance with one end and felled him with the other. Rey listened for his breathing as her eyes tracked Finn barely holding his own against his opponent, Poe attempting to stand, clutching his head, and then to the man trapped under his friend. 

He’d given up on freeing himself and was attempting to grab his blaster from where it had fallen. Rey moved towards him, foot stepping on the blaster before the man could grab it.

Rey swung the staff forward, hovering over his neck. The man’s eyes were blown wide.

“Don’t move.” Rey said in Huttese. She then nudged the man’s arm so she could bend down and claim the blaster. She straightened up, pressing the button to retract her staff while she leveled the blaster as the man below her. “Stun or shoot through?” She asked. 

“Stun.” The man replied. Ah, that meant the leader was close, but not within the group, and definitely not watching closely. Rey adjusted the setting on the blaster, and shot the man in the shoulder, who promptly fainted. Rey repeated the gesture on the other men lying nearby, ignoring the man with the knife in his liver, he had enough to worry about. She then turned to Finn and Poe. Finn’s opponent was finally on the ground, out cold, while Finn wiped bloody knuckles on his apron. He was breathing so hard he was near to hyperventilating. 

“Finn.” Rey began, blaster lowered and the staff retracted, “Are you ok?” 

“Is he ok?” Poe burst out, looking waxen as he leaned against the wall. “What about me?” 

“Are you ok?” Rey asked, coming to stand next to them. They were both looking at her like she was a mirage. 

“And what was that?” Poe asked, gesturing around the trio. It took Rey a moment to realize he meant her being able to fight. 

“I’m from Jakku.” Rey reminded them, as though that explained everything. 

“Yeah but -”

“Rey, did you grow up in Plutt’s junkyard?” Finn asked, interrupting Poe. Rey opened her mouth to respond. 

“What in the hell is this?!” The three of them turned towards the high pitched yell. It belonged to a tall, thin, redheaded man, who was advancing towards them, one hand behind his body. 

“You turned to Hux for help?” Poe looked beside himself in disbelief. Finn went from amazed to miserable. He merely nodded in response. 

“Is he dangerous or dumb?” Rey asked, blaster hand held parallel to her left side. 

“Both.” Rey raised her blaster at the same moment Hux revealed his hand. He was holding a lit lightsaber. 

It was an interesting argument, whether the lightsaber or blaster would win in a battle against each other. Ben loved to discuss the merits and disadvantages of each weapon. Rey had a much more practical approach. 

She shot Hux’s hand. 

A proficient lightsaber user would be able to block it, or hold onto the weapon with the stun setting she used, but Rey had a feeling Hux had the weapon for show, and only knew a few moves. 

She was correct. 

Hux dropped the lightsaber, the blade winking out as it fell. His grunt of pain sounded comical to Rey, as though he added extra pain to his voice for effect. He was also clutching his hand like his finger’s had been blown off, instead of a light singe. 

“The bitch shot me!” Rey raised the blaster, leveling it at his chest. 

“You nearly killed Finn.” Poe gave a pointed groan and Rey added, “And Poe.” 

“They were just going to teach him a lesson.” Hux snapped, his eyes sweeping over the scene once more. 

“Well I’d say the lesson’s been learnt, hasn’t it?” Rey asked. Hux’s vision jumped to her. 

“Rey-” Finn spoke through clenched teeth. 

“Finn’s paid his debts. Isn’t that right, Hux?” Rey made an exaggerated showing of turning up the intensity of the blaster. Hux’s eyes grew wide, but his mouth made a firm line. 

“This isn’t over.” Rey looked around the alleyway and then back at Hux. 

“I’d say it is.” 

It had been five months and three days since Rey had last seen Ben, and her body felt stiff as she got off the bus and made her way to the entrance of Maz’s. Say what you will about her childhood, it meant she was always ready for a fight. 

Rey made her way to the counter, leaning down to store her backpack behind the bar, trying not to groan as she straightened herself out. Poe appeared on the other side of the counter, and this time she didn’t restrain the groan. 

“Rey.” Poe greeted her. Finn and Poe had gone to the hospital after Hux and the Hutt men had left, and she hadn’t heard from them since. Poe sported some gauze over his right eye, the skin on the right side of his face was heavily bruised, and he was holding himself carefully, like it was uncomfortable to breathe. Rey felt herself softening towards Poe. He’d fought for Finn without a weapon on him; she didn’t know many people who would do that. 

“Poe. Your usual?” Poe relaxed slightly, and he smiled, a gentler version of the devil may care grin he usually sported. Rey liked it a lot better. 

“Better not. They gave me some pretty heavy pills with strong warnings not to mix with alcohol.” Rey nodded, looking for a rag to clean the counter. “I came here to warn you, actually.” Rey stopped her search and looked at Poe, wide-eyed. “Oh! Not like that. The group’s gathering here soon - they heard from Finn what you did for us yesterday, and want to thank you and prove that he wasn’t exaggerating. I mean hell, I saw it and I still can’t believe it.” Rey smiled, pleased. Poe gingerly sat in the stool in front of her, and then leaned in close. 

“Rey, I know we can be a bit much all in a group, and sometimes I hog the stage light, but after what you did for Finn - for both of us - you’ll always have a place with us. Always.” Rey felt the sincerity in Poe’s voice, and for the first time since meeting him understood his appeal. 

“Sometimes?” Rey joked. 

“Rare occasions.” Poe replied, eyes twinkling. 

It had been five months and twenty three days since Rey had last seen Ben, and Rey was laughing so hard her stomach hurt, wiping tears from her eyes. The gang as a whole were playing a drinking game where a player was supposed to tell a story based on a prompt, and then everyone guessed whether it was true or a fabrication, but Finn and Poe were playing a slightly different game wherein they were trying to get the other person as drunk as possible. 

It was Phasma’s turn to give the prompt. She turned towards Rey, who was still laughing but did not like the look in her eye. 

“Now Skywalker, spill on your secret man.” Rey’s laughter turned into startled chuckles. 

“What?” Rey asked. 

“Rey doesn’t have to say if she doesn’t want to!” Rose called out, but it was clear from her unwavering gaze that she hoped Rey would. 

“What secret man?” Rey asked, not needing to pretend to be confused. 

“You know.” Finn added helpfully. 

“You’re always reading his messages.” Rose explained. “And looking at his pictures.”

“Tall, dark, and handsome.” Phasma confirmed. 

“How tall?” Poe asked. All eyes turned to Rey. After a moment Rey gestured to a spot somewhere above her head. 

“Ugh.” Finn stated. 

“What’s his name?” Rose asked. 

“Ben.” Rey fidgeted in her seat. “He’s not a secret.” She didn’t think. Rey glanced at her lap, and then back up at the group. They were all staring at her. 

“We’re friends.” The group groaned at her. Surprisingly, this made her laugh. “Or more than friends. I guess it was undefined. But it didn’t feel that way. He always felt like a part of me. When we met it felt like.. like I discovered a part of myself I didn’t know was lost. Just being near him made me happy.” Rey paused for a long moment, coming out of her dazed look, and then continued in a different tone. “He’s been away for a while, at a meditation retreat in Ach-To.”

“So he’s loaded.” Finn said, sounding glum. 

“Getting in touch with his emotions?” Poe asked, intrigued. 

“When’s he coming back?” Rose asked, tone cheerful. 

“Next week.” Rey answered. She sounded nervous to her own ears. 

“That’s good, isn’t it?” Rose asked, hand coming to rest on Rey’s back. 

“Very good.” Rey agreed. And then, because she was drunk, because she had just been so happy, because she couldn’t hide from the gnawing fear, “It’s just, we were supposed to keep in touch, and he hasn’t.” 

The group’s passionate defense was a sight to behold. 

“I heard it’s impossible to get reception there.” Poe mused. “And there are always storms blowing mail ships off their routes.”

“He’d have to be insane not to come back for you.” Finn stated, tone a bit too vehement. 

“Especially since he knows how deadly you are.” Phasma added. 

Rose hugged her, arms tightly locked. “And you have us, no matter what.” 

It had been four days since Ben had failed to return, and Rey was fine. 

She had already spent an awful day trying not to dig her nails into her palms, waiting for a phone call or text or surprise appearance that didn’t happen. Luke had been gone from the house for more than half the day, and when he came in he’d only shaken his head at her, gaze heavy. When he opened his mouth Rey had retreated, unable to bear whatever contrivance he had come up with to explain Ben’s silence. 

She’d survived the next day, where she called off work and hunkered down in Luke’s bath tub, wrapped in a blanket and unable to muffle the sounds of Luke’s cursing on the phone nor keep herself from breaking down every time reality sunk in.

She’d even stomached the next day, going into work and meeting the group’s eye line when they asked her if Ben had appeared. She hadn’t been able to say the words, not until later that night, when she’d drank so much her words were slurring and the entire story had come out. Everyone had fallen asleep in a pile in Rose’s dorm room, with Rey in the middle, surrounded by them all. 

In a strange way now that it had happened Rey felt a sort of relief. The moment she'd been dreading had occurred, and it was horrible, worse than she'd feared, but it was done, and now she’d never have to live through it again. She could stop marking tallies on the metal wall in her mind. She would be fine. 

She already was fine. 

She was.


End file.
